Chevrolet

Louis Chevrolet and William Durant co-founded Chevrolet on November 3, 1911. Durant lost control of GM and used Chevrolet's momentum to reclaim it in 1918, absorbing Chevrolet into GM. Through the 1930s and 1950s Chevrolet competed directly with Ford for sales leadership. The Bel Air of the early 1950s epitomised post-war American optimism. The Corvette debuted in 1953 and has been America's benchmark sports car ever since. The Camaro launched in 1967 as a direct competitor to the Mustang. In the 1970s downsizing and emission regulations challenged the brand. A recovery in the 1980s and 1990s led to modern performance milestones like the C5 Corvette Z06 and Camaro ZL1. The mid-engined C8 Corvette (2020) rewrote expectations for an American sports car at its price.